A Kiss Goodnight
by Kristen3
Summary: When Niles escorts Daphne home from the Snow Ball, he realizes he has to explain to her that the words he spoke on the dance floor were no act. Will it lead to the happy ending he's been dreaming of?
1. Chapter 1

Niles stood at his brother's door, unable to take his eyes off the woman by his side. Daphne truly was a vision in the form-fitting red gown she was wearing. The sting of her words at the ball, when she'd told him what a great actor he was, had subsided some. He did his best not to let his disappointment show.

"Thank you again for a lovely evening," Daphne said. "I felt just like Cinderella at the ball!"

_Cinderella never looked this beautiful_, Niles thought. "I'm glad you had a good time."

"It was one of the best nights of me life. I bet your friends will be talking about the two of us for a while!"

The comment made his heart ache again. "Well...whatever we did tonight, it was all thanks to you. Your dance lessons were a great help."

"I'm glad I could help you. I've been so worried about you, you know."

Niles couldn't believe what he'd heard. Daphne was concerned about him?! "You-you have?"

Daphne laughed. "Of course. I think what Mrs. Crane's been doing to you is just awful. You're a very sweet man, and you deserve better than that."

Niles' heart soared."Oh, Daphne," he whispered. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Now, I'll just kiss you goodnight, and you can be on your way."

Before Niles could even react, Daphne's lips were on his. It was not a passionate kiss, like the one they'd shared on the dance floor. This was a small, gentle peck, but still, it made Niles' heart race. "Daphne...don't go in just yet." He barely heard his own words.

"Dr. Crane...is something the matter?"

Niles took a deep breath, hoping to steady himself. "I think I need some fresh air." He turned toward the elevator, pressing the "up" button. When Daphne looked at him in confusion, he explained, "It's such a beautiful night. Let's go see the view from the roof."

"All right. That sounds nice." She slipped her hand into his as they waited for the elevator to arrive.


	2. Chapter 2

Moments later, they made their way up the stairs to the roof. Daphne's heels made the climb a bit difficult, but Niles carefully held her hand.

Daphne gasped when she stepped out on to the roof. "It's so beautiful up here!"

Niles smiled. "Yes." He and Daphne stood near the edge of the roof. A railing prevented them from falling. The height made Niles nervous, but what scared him most was what he had to say. "Remember what you said earlier, about me being a good actor?" Daphne nodded. "Well, I'm not that good."

Daphne looked at him in confusion. "But, Dr. Crane, you nearly had _me_ fooled for a moment."

Niles took her hand, just as he had earlier at the ball. "Daphne, I wasn't trying to fool anyone at all. I meant what I said."

Daphne's eyes widened in surprise. "You meant all of that?" Daphne could hardly believe it. He'd treated her so well at the ball, and she'd figured he was simply trying to be polite. Sure, he was always complimenting her, but she'd never given much thought to why.

"Yes," Niles replied. "Being with you tonight was a dream come true. Not because of the scene we created, but simply because you were there. It's true I've been lonely since Maris and I have separated. But the one thing that's kept me going is you. Ever since I met you, I knew you were different from all the women I've ever met."

Daphne blushed. She could hardly believe all of this was true. She'd always thought of Dr. Crane as a friend, someone who was always happy to listen to her problems, no matter how trivial. His sweet compliments never failed to brighten her day.

She was very aware of the differences in their classes. However kind and caring he might be, she was still his father's healthcare worker. But as she looked at him now, she understood that he didn't care about any of that. Slowly she reached out, taking hold of his hand. When he brought her hand to his lips for a kiss, she thought she might faint on the spot.

Suddenly she realized she wanted to hold his hand forever. No one else had loved her like this. The idea of jumping headfirst into a relationship with Niles was scary. But he had a way of making her feel safe. She felt herself falling for him, and there wasn't much she could do to stop herself. When Niles put his arms around her, she knew this was exactly where she belonged.

**The End**


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